Forensic Magazine Newsletter

	February 17, 2010

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Are Exonerations Undermining Forensic Science?

By Rebecca Waters

A recent article released by the Institute for the Advancement of Criminal Justice journal argues that the work of groups working to exonerate wrongfully accused inmates is a form of “DNA activism” that introduces a potentially catastrophic form of “contextual contamination” to post-conviction proceedings unjustly calling forensic science into question.

PRODUCT FOCUS

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR

February 22-27, 2010 AAFS Seattle, WA March 23-24, 2010 GovSec/U.S. Law Conference Washington, DC March 23-24, 2010 Kansas IAI Spring Conference Manhattan, KS March 24-26, 2010 Wisconsin Assoc for Identification Conference Stevens Point, WI Mar 28-Apr 1, 2010 7th Annual Advanced DNA Technical Workshop – West San Diego, CA May 17-21, 2010 MAAFS State College, PA See More Events	May 24-27, 2010 California State Division IAI Seminar Rancho Mirage, CA May 24-27, 2010 CEIC Summerlin, NV June 6-9, 2010 Wisconsin Coroners and Medial Examiners Association Summer Conference Wisconsin Dells, WI June 9-11, 2010 Louisiana Division of the IAI 2010 Conference Metairie, LA June 14-18, 2010 Texas Division IAI Conference Round Rock, TX June 14-16, 2010 The NIJ Conference Arlington, VA

INDUSTRY NEWS

Survey Raises Questions on NYPD Crime Data

More than a hundred retired New York Police Department captains and higher-ranking officers said in a survey that the intense pressure to produce annual crime reductions led some supervisors and precinct commanders to manipulate crime statistics, according to two criminologists studying the department.

Use of Family DNA to ID Suspects Debated

A growing number of law enforcement agencies nationwide are considering allowing the use of familial DNA to pursue suspects. Critics claim the practice amounts to guilt by association.

Mandatory Rape Kit Testing In Illinois?

New legislation being drafted in Illinois may require that every rape kit be submitted for testing and require processing within six months. If the legislation passes, already backlogged crime labs could be flooded by an estimated 4,000 rape kits currently in storage.

Iris Database Comes to Western Kentucky

The Daviess County Sheriff's Office has been awarded a grant from the National Sheriff's Association, becoming the first in Kentucky to become part of the Iris Biometric System, a national database of iris scans.

Forensic Anthropologists Study Decomposition

A University of Maine associate anthropology professor is studying the decay of pig carcasses in various weather and soil conditions. The project aims at getting better data on the changes regional conditions cause in human body decay.